by Bea Peterson
Hoosick Falls Central School Physical Education teacher Lisa Ferrannini, found a unique way to motivate her junior and senior high school students. She came across an app entitled C25K (Couch to 5k). The program consisted of warm-ups and walking and jogging three days a week for nine weeks. [private]Two of the workouts could be done during PE classes at school. Students had to keep a journal of their workouts as well. She titled the program Fizz Ed. It culminated with a 5k at the school on Friday, November 7. Ninety-eight of her 119 students participated in the run. The weather was cold and drizzly, but everyone was game as they ran, jogged and walked the 5k course on the school grounds.
Marcie Fraser
Time Warner Cable News journalist Marcie Fraser, known for her health reports on television and in area newspapers, started the students off with warm-up exercises. After the race and a pizza lunch, Fraser told them she was really proud of them for participating in this program. She was also impressed with the number of participants, she said. She talked to them about the importance of good nutrition, and she had many good suggestions. One suggestion was that they think of the nutritional value of food but enjoy eating everything. Instead of eating an entire handful of jelly beans, she suggested they eat only 80% of them. If they cut back just 20% on all the snacks they eat, they would lose pounds in a year.
Ferrannini was pleased with the success of the program. First to complete the 5k was varsity field hockey player Lillian Hickey. First male across the line was Guy Milliman. Most improved was Kelsey Haynes. Every participant received a medal for taking part and going from couch to 5k in nine weeks.
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